THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, October 11, 1996 TAG: 9610110529
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY CHARLENE CASON, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 65 lines
A 35-year-old Navy electronics technician was named Military Citizen of the Year by the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce on Thursday, tops among 16 sailors nominated by their commands for their volunteer work and outstanding military performance.
Petty Officer 2nd Class Jim Limbaugh was honored for his volunteer work with the Boy Scouts, Little League and his church at an annual military appreciation luncheon at the Norfolk Waterside Marriott Hotel, as well as for his fund-raising for several charities and his contributions to the Lafayette-Winona Middle School PTA.
``His nomination, which contained five letters of recommendation, describes his military performance as dynamic and exemplary,'' said Ann Palmateer, who chairs the Chamber's Armed Forces Committee. ``And he's received outstanding ratings on his job evaluations.''
Limbaugh is a radar work center supervisor in the air operations department at Oceana Naval Air Station. He and his family live in the Talbot Park section of Norfolk.
Adm. William J. ``Bud'' Flanagan Jr., commander-in-chief of the Atlantic Fleet and keynote speaker at the event, lauded Limbaugh and the other men and women who were nominated as people who don't live in their hometowns, but have adopted Hampton Roads as home.
``They go out into the community and see where there's a need, then they adopt a cause and make the area better,'' Flanagan said. ``And, in doing so, they become the fieldstone for those who follow.''
In choosing a military citizen of the year, he said, community and military come together to ``celebrate the victory of giving to one another.''
The award has been given to a Hampton Roads soldier, sailor or airman since 1955, when businessman Samuel Northern created it to promote closer ties between the civilian population and the Navy.
It began at a time when sailors did not always feel entirely welcome in the region, as evidenced by persistent recollections of a mythical ``Dogs and Sailors keep off the grass'' sign on a Norfolk lawn.
``Many of you remember when you couldn't stand in this nice place,'' Flanagan said, looking around the Marriott's banquet room. ``In fact, you probably remember when you wouldn't have wanted to stand in this place.
``But now this is a model community for the country, a place where we embrace each other and build on our efforts, where we treat one another with care and concern.''
Limbaugh, whose wife, Kim, and 11-year-old stepson Cody Shumway attended the luncheon, called his volunteer work ``truly a family affair.'' The sailor began the work with Cody's Boy Scout troop and sports organizations as soon as Kim and Limbaugh were married two years ago.
When Limbaugh introduced Cody as ``my son,'' the boy hugged him and said the two were ``pals.''
Kim, who volunteers with her husband, said the couple was surprised at his winning: ``You know you do a lot, but you always think someone else does more.'' ILLUSTRATION: MOTOYA NAKAMURA/THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Adm. William J. ``Bud'' Flanagan Jr., commander-in-chief of the
Atlantic Fleet, pins the Military Citizen of the Year award on Petty
Officer 2nd Class Jim Limbaugh on Thursday.
KEYWORDS: MILITARY CITIZEN OF THE YEAR by CNB